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First things first – we’re thrilled to announce that our community café and shop is now open from 10am to 2pm, Friday to Sunday. Join us for freshly brewed tea or coffee and our incredible homemade cakes, plus pick up your essentials while you’re there! Fair warning – you might hear a bit of DIY in the background as our dedicated volunteers continue working on the bar area, but don’t let that put you off.
Renovation Update
The transformation of the building is really coming along. The restaurant area is sporting a fresh coat of paint in our new colour scheme, the wooden features are being carefully restored to their former glory, and the joinery work is absolutely spot-on. We’ve got our electrical certificates in place, and exciting plans are brewing for the beer garden and landscaping.
A massive thank you to everyone who supported our buy-a-brick campaign – you’re all literally part of The Black Lion’s foundations now! While brick sales have closed, shares are still available if you’d like to become part of this community venture.
Upstairs, we’re cracking on with the flat renovation. The new windows are in place, and we’re adding plenty of insulation to keep things cosy. Speaking of keeping cosy, our air-source heat pump installation is nearly ready to go. It’s taken a bit longer than expected to jump through all the regulatory hoops, but it’ll be worth the wait – providing heating in winter and keeping us cool in summer.
You might have noticed work starting on the building’s exterior. We’re gradually removing the old paint to expose the original brickwork – a task that’s proving to be quite the workout! Some bits are peeling off like a dream, while others are hanging on for dear life. This work, along with removing the old exterior lighting, will continue over the next month or so.
What’s coming up in 2025?
Looking ahead, we’re aiming to open the pub properly in April 2025, with a tenant in place (watch this space for exciting news on that front!). We’ve chosen this timing to avoid the quieter January/February period.
None of this would be possible without our amazing volunteers. Every single person who has helped – whether it’s wielding a paintbrush, making cups of tea, or offering words of encouragement – is part of The Black Lion’s story. We truly couldn’t do this without you.
Want to get involved? We’d love to have you on board! Keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates or email [email protected] to find out more.